


Protector

by Daiya_Darko



Series: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship [5]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-20
Updated: 2012-10-20
Packaged: 2017-11-16 17:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/541815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daiya_Darko/pseuds/Daiya_Darko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When SHIELD comes under attack, it's Bruce who saves everyone, but it's the Hulk who saves Clint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hesitant to tag literally everyone in this, mainly because they're only there in the background.

When the first rumble ripped through the lower levels of SHIELD headquarters, everyone in the debriefing room froze in fear.

“Was that -- ” Steve begins.

“Yeah, that was,” Tony finishes. His faceplate lowers and everyone gets up from their seats, ready to spring into action.

Everyone, that is, except Bruce.

He’s sitting, frozen in concentration, and doesn’t even move when Fury yells or Clint pulls at his sleeve.

“Come on, Bruce! We’ve gotta – ”

“Everyone get against the wall!” Bruce yells as he turns into the Hulk. Confused, but afraid, everyone backs against the wall by the door as the Hulk flips the steel conference table over and uses it as a barricade to shelter them.

Clint realizes what’s happening; Bruce had mentioned he shared some traits with the Hulk, in that his senses were much more heightened. He hesitates for a brief moment, looking over his shoulder to see if Hulk will be alright.

It’s a moment too long.

Time slows to a crawl as the blast rips through the building, and the last thing Clint remembers before succumbing to darkness is a giant green body scooping him up as the explosion tears through the room.

\--

When the smoke and debris clear, the Avengers and Fury sit up from behind the table, surprised that the barricade worked. Thor had covered Fury and Steve had covered Natasha with his shield. Tony was fine with his armor.

As they looked around in relief at one another, Natasha realizes immediately who is missing.

“Where’s Clint?” Her voice trembles with worry, and quickly, everyone gets up and looks over the flipped table.

Lying on the floor is Clint curled up with his head in Bruce’s shoulder and Bruce’s arms legs wrapped around him protectively.

No one says anything for a moment, and then Fury radios the infirmary to get a status report on how many injuries and casualties there are.

The others don’t want to move Bruce and Clint, but they know it’s for the best, and Steve pulls Bruce into a fireman carry as Thor slings Clint over his shoulder.

\--

Clint wakes up with a pounding headache and a sore side. He blinks a few times as his eyes adjust to brightness of the hospital ward, and smacks his dry lips. He groans as he tries to sit up, and looks over for water. Just as he turns, he sees Bruce sitting up with a tablet in his hand and glasses on.

“Oh, you’re awake. Good. Feeling okay?” Bruce asks. He pours a cup of water and slides it across their shared bed stand for Clint.

“Yeah, I’ve woken in worse conditions.” Clint gulps down the water and sighs contentedly. “So, I guess that hearing of yours really came in handy,” Clint states.

“Well, I try to use these senses to my advantage. It’s better if the other guy and I work together as a team.”

Clint nods. “Well, thank you, for, you know…”

Bruce smiles. “You don’t have to thank me. I know you would do the same for me.”

“I would,” Clint says, returning the smile.

“You know, they didn’t want to put us right next to each other at first, but Tony and Natasha argued with the doctors about how there’d probably be an ‘incident’ if they didn’t and we woke up not knowing if the other was okay.”

Clint chuckles. “Well, at least they listened. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what would have happened.”

“I would have maybe knocked over a vase and threw a television remote, but that’d be the extent of my damage,” says Bruce with a mischievous smile.

“Oh man, I would have killed to see that,” Clint laughs.

“It’s not too late,” Bruce grins as he knocks the decorative vase to the floor and dips his fingers into his cup of water to sprinkle at Clint.

When the doctors finally come to check on them, they find two grown men laughing and throwing water at each other, as well as shattered porcelain and flowers on the floor.

They get discharged within the same hour.


End file.
